Turtle Wax, a global name in the car care industry, entered the Indian market this year. With its aggressive plans and the ongoing demand for car care products, the company aims at becoming one of the largest care car product suppliers in Doing It Yourself (DIY) segment, besides, establishing a strong presence in Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) space.

According to Sajan Murali Puravangara, Country Manager and Director, Turtle Wax India, the car care industry is an integral part of the automotive industry, and changing buying preference from the mileage, and low maintenance to aesthetics, safety, comfort and features are fuelling demand for car care products.

“India has been witnessing good growth in car sales in last decade, whereas in the last five years, we see traction in the car care industry on account of changing trends or reasons to buy a car. In recent years, the way people look at the car has changed. They buy cars for the looks and features, and that also led to an interest to keep their cars new, tidy and clean; this is bringing demand for car care products. The interest is also coming from the mass car segment. In the last two years, we are getting the indication that the car care industry will be the next sunshine industry in the future,” explained Puravangara.

Turtle Wax, a family-owned company, has been in the car care business for nearly 75 years and operates in over 120 countries. Before establishing its third subsidiary in India, the company has been operating with two subsidiaries- the US and Europe.

India has a population over 1.3 billion and only 22 people out of a thousand own car, while in the US and UK, 980 and 850 per 1,000 individuals have a car, respectively. The massive headroom for the car segment in the next one-and-a-half-decade will trigger further growth for the car care segment in the long term, opines Puravangara.

According to a research report, the current car care industry in India is slightly less than one billion USD and expected to reach $1.44 billion in 2027. Explaining the growth factors, the report says, people usually keep their cars for more than seven years in India, and hence car care products are being increasingly used to restore the paint and for detailing and interiors. Along with this, many car care product manufacturers from Europe and North American markets have their presence in India through e-commerce websites and strong dealership networks. The same report adds that by 2027, the interior car care product segment will be around of $0.73 billion, while the exterior car product market will grow to USD 0.7 billion.

Consumer behaviour, cheap labour, and lack of necessary know-how make the Indian car care industry more challenging for the companies to operate in the DIY space.

In western countries, cars are a part of the family, and family members take basic care. In the US and other developed countries, the DIY segment is about 80 percent of the total car care industry; however, in India, it is of around 30 percent. “In countries like India, due to the hectic work schedule and cheap labour, DIFM dominates in the car care segment. There is always a third person to take basic care of cars in India. Coupled with this, the know-how is fairly lower in India when it comes to basic things such what wax can do to your car and what are the ways to protect cars’ interior and exterior,” Puravangara said.

However, the pandemic in the last eight months has proven useful for the car care segment. “We have seen momentum in the DIY business in the last six months. Since people have been at home, they have a lot of time at their disposal. They find time to take care of their cars. We are also seeing people are increasingly enquiring on different social media platforms on how to take care of their cars and sharing other issues,” he said.

As a part of the strategy to penetrate its products, the company will heavily focus on educating consumers on primary car care and the company’s products. “Being a global leader in the car care industry, it is our top priority to educate people on car care, know-how and our product usages and benefits.”

In the next three to four months, the company will start campaigns on social media channels. The campaign will invite consumers with their queries or to share their experience and issues.

“The company will also bring out videos on how to use our products and use the social influencers on YouTube and Instagram,” Puravangara said.

Though India is seeing a growing number of women behind in the wheel, the car care industry is yet to consider women as their potential customers. However, Turtle Wax understands the role of women in the overall automotive industry and expects the growing number of women car owners evidently will reflect in the car care industry.

To widen its customer base, the company will also promote the car wash as a family celebration where family members will take participate in washing, cleaning and taking care of the car. “Washing and cleaning cars is a family affair in many countries, and therefore the company will be promoting the same in India as well,” added he.

However, external factors that also possess further challenges for car care products. Considering vast territories, different weather, pollutions and scarcity and quality of water put car care product performance under severe pressure. Keeping the external challenges in mind, the company plans to bring in products that are suitable to the Indian markets.

“A larger challenge is not only the availability of water but the hard water which leaves marks on the car. Coupled with this, extreme temperature and dust and pollution affect the car. We are bringing in the products that will take care of cars in the Indian environment. We have asked the company to make products suitable for the Indian market,” said the executive.

Currently, the company offers the products required to clean, shine and protect the car inside out. The product portfolio includes shampoo to clean, wax to shine and various interior cleaners in the form of foam and liquid to clean the interiors of the car. It also offers various speciality products like trim restorer, chrome polish, headlight lens restorer, Odor-X Odor removing solutions, etc. to address specific car care requirements. Turtle Wax also has a ceramic coating that has 10H hardness which gives the high gloss, ultra-hydrophobicity, extreme chemical resistance, UV protection and easy cleaning properties. The company plans to bring in graphene-based ceramic coating solutions, which is the new technology in the car care industry.

The company is planning to bring 75th-anniversary Ceramic Paste Wax in Q1 2021, and will also introduce windshield washer fluid shortly in India. Other products from the company for the India market include all-metal polish that polishes all metal surfaces of the car’s exterior; Glass cleaner to keep the glass streak-free during the ride; ClearVue Rain Repellent that helps get better visibility during the monsoon rains; Trim Restorer since the Trims fades here in India more than the rest of the world and Windscreen washer fluid to remove the dirt and grime from the windshield glass.

The company will also introduce waterless washing products that cater to areas where water is scarce. The company’s waterless wash and wax has advanced polymer technology that lifts dirt to prevent starching, while the enriched wax gives a shiny and protective finish. Its rain repellent formula prevents watermarks and extends time in between cleaning.

The company will also bring in its Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions ICE Seal N Shine, premium car paint sealant. The ICE Seal N Shine gives the car a layer of super-hydrophobic silicone for up to six months of protection against streaks, scratches and swirls.

To set up its network, the company will go through a distribution route and for which it has selected 23 cities, which have larger car density. Turtle Wax India is appointing own distributors in these cities who will take care of retailers and workshops. It has also identified another 48 towns in which it will supply products to dealers who will provide the products in the respective markets.

“We will have our main presence in all metro cities including Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi-NCR, Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai, and additional upcoming cities like Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Cochin, Surat etc,” he added.

The company plans to have about 10,000 outlets by the end of next June. Turtle Wax India has also set up the car care studios in Pune, Bangalore and New Delhi. The studio will be not based on a franchise concept; instead, it will be a co-branded activity. “We provide our products and branding support, but the studios also keep their brand identity,” he said. The company also has plants to have such studios in its 23 cities.

Puravangara declined to share the current revenue and future commercial targets but said sales numbers are increasing with each passing month. Currently, the company is importing its products from global subsidiaries, but he said the company will have a look into setting up local production capabilities. “The way it is going, we will have to do something locally as well. I don’t think we will be able to manage (the demand) with our global support when the demand goes up,” he said.

The company is looking for an option of re-packaging under which it will get bulk products and repack for the domestic market. “We will also see if some India oriented products will be manufactured here, completely. Those options are quite open,” he added.

Many Indians are using hair shampoo sachets to wash cars. When asked whether the company is looking to introduce car wash shampoo in sachets, he said it will not look into sachet option but will be looking to have a bottle of 100 to 200 ml. “We are still looking at those options of small bottles, but per wash, cost increases with smaller bottles,” he added.

Talking on the challenges, he said, it is on finalising the complete product portfolio that suits to the rapidly changing requirements of the Indian market. “We need to keep reinventing on products to be a leader in the market,” he concluded. (MT)

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Automotive retail sales in India touched a new record for the month of June with a total of 2,557,234 units sold, up 21.83 percent YoY, as against 2,098,996 units sold for the same period last year.

As per the latest data shared by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the apex body representing automotive dealers in India, the record performance was witnessed across vehicle categories – two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles.

For June 2026, two-wheeler sales came at 1.82 million units, up 21.22 percent YoY, three-wheelers at 120,889 units, up 16.2 percent YoY, passenger vehicle at 410,853 units, up 26.6 percent YoY, tractors at 100,818 units, up 25.31 percent YoY and commercial vehicle at 90,972 units, up 16.8 percent YoY.

On the other hand, the construction equipment segment saw a decline of 40.94 percent YoY to 5,244 units, albeit a high base.

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, said, “Tractors recorded their second-best June ever. That such records have come in a seasonally transitional month underscores the structural depth of the India Growth Story and the widening aspirations of Bharat.”

He further stated that when it came to two-wheeler sales, saw a marginal MoM sequential decline due to rural demand dip on the back of late onset and uneven progress of south-west monsoon. This led to many customers opting for a ‘wait-and-watch mode’ for their purchase decisions. But on the flip side, dealers witnessed a strong demand for entry-level two-wheelers, improved supply from automakers and a decisive shift in demand for electric vehicle offerings.

“Two-wheeler electric vehicle share crossed double digits for the first time at 10.60 percent against 7.34 percent a year ago,” stated Vigneshwar.

Similarly, passenger vehicle retail sales also clocked their best performance for June, with both rural (+35.09 percent YoY) and urban markets (+24.67 percent YoY) witnessing strong demand. Share of alternative energy vehicles (CNG, hybrid and electric) crossed 40 percent share for the first time at 40.35 percent (CNG 24.33 percent, hybrid 8.27 percent and EV 7.75 percent).

“On the channel side, PV inventory increased by 1 day over May-end to 32–34 days, moving further from FADA’s recommended 21-day benchmark. We once again urge PV OEMs to calibrate dispatches to retail through the monsoon-soft July window so that dealer capital is not locked in aged stock,” said the executive.

Going forward, FADA has maintained a constructive outlook with all eyes on the onset of monsoon making up its deficit with kharif sowing gathering pace and supplies staying normalised following the West Asia ceasefire and easing crude prices.

Vigneshwar said, “For the two-wheeler segment, improving rural cashflows once rainfall catches up and the accelerating shift towards EV and fuel-efficient models should provide support, though deficient-rainfall pockets and the July OEM price hikes may keep some buyers in wait-and-watch mode. Passenger Vehicles enter the month with healthy booking pipelines, particularly in EVs and CNG, and fresh launches, while Commercial Vehicles should stay steady on freight and infrastructure-linked activity. The trajectory of the monsoon remains the single most important variable for rural demand, alongside price-hike absorption and financing turnaround times. Overall, the outlook for July’26 appears Cautiously Optimistic – with monsoon catch-up and rural cashflows the key swing factors ahead of the festive season.”

For Q2 FY2026, FADA expects continued sales momentum through the festive season. But dealers have identified a monsoon shortfall / El Niño could impact rural demand as the single biggest risk, followed by further price hikes affecting affordability and inventory pile-up pressure.

FADA expects that easing geopolitical and fuel-price uncertainty and broad policy continuity will provide a supportive runway into the festive quarter, with the monsoon the key monitorable for Bharat.

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The Indian automobile sector has seen a wave of capital raising and acquisitions, according to an Equirus Capital report.

The finding stated that in recent months, the automotive industry in India has seen massive transactions such as Craftsman Automation raising INR 20 billion and Ola Electric Mobility raising INR 7.8 billion.

Furthermore, Simple Energy secured INR 2.5 billion, while JBM Ecolife Mobility obtained INR 7.5 billion for fleet expansion. Additionally, Rane (Madras) agreed to acquire Hindustan Composites' friction business for INR 3.7 billion and Sona BLW Precision Forgings approved INR 630 million for robotics manufacturing.

Automobile retail sales reached 2.53 million units in May 2026, a 9.55 percent increase compared to the previous year. Passenger vehicle sales rose 23.25 percent to 403,000 units. Rural markets recorded growth of 30.35 percent, outpacing urban markets at 18.80 percent.

Commercial vehicle sales in rural areas grew 8.10 percent, compared to 2.62 percent in urban areas. Two-wheeler retail sales increased by 7.54 percent to 1.84 million units.

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption continues to grow, with EV penetration in two-wheelers reaching 9.25 percent. In the passenger vehicle segment, CNG and EVs accounted for over 38 percent of retail sales. The Delhi Government has also notified a policy with a plan of INR 150 billion to encourage EV adoption.

The report noted that despite month-on-month volume moderation, the sector shows sustained demand and investor interest. According to Equirus Capital, the flow of investments and developments in the EV ecosystem support the outlook for the industry.

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Following the inauguration of the Kharkhoda vehicle manufacturing facility, Toshihiro Suzuki, President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, and Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, visited the Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) in Manesar and the Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) in Bahadurgarh.

At the JIM in Manesar, the leadership team observed the training programmes that focus on technical expertise, manufacturing practices, and safety. Later, they visited the IDTR in Bahadurgarh to review the driving training provided at the facility.

Toshihiro Suzuki, said, “It was the greatest possible honour for Suzuki in India when both the Hon’ble Prime Ministers of India and Japan inaugurated our Kharkhoda plant yesterday. This places even more responsibility on us to recommit and rededicate ourselves to Viksit Bharat. The foundation of this is human development. I immediately decided to visit today our institutes for road safety – IDTR in Bahadurgarh – and for skill development – JIM in Manesar.”

At present, Maruti Suzuki India manages four JIM locations in Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Manesar, and Sonipat. These institutes provide vocational training accredited by the National Council for Vocational Training and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan. The training follows a system that combines classroom instruction with industry exposure.

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European automotive Group Stellantis recently hosted 300 suppliers in Paris to discuss its faSTLAne 2030 strategy. The convention included supplier partners, regional leadership and global purchasing executives, focusing on collaboration and execution for the European market.

The event outlined the company’s vision for growth and product renewal. Leaders stressed that achieving these goals requires accountability across the value chain.

Emanuele Cappellano, COO for Enlarged Europe & European Brands and Head of Stellantis Pro One, said, "Europe is entering a pivotal period as we execute our long-term strategy and bring an exciting wave of products and technologies to market. Success depends on our ability to execute together. Our suppliers are essential partners in that journey, helping us deliver the quality, innovation, and competitiveness our customers expect. By working as one team, we can strengthen our performance and position Stellantis for long-term success in Europe."

A recurring theme was the necessity of collaboration and communication between Stellantis and its supply base to support product launches and operations.

Monica Genovese, Chief Purchasing Officer, Stellantis, said, "Creating value starts with strong partnerships. Our suppliers are critical contributors to every vehicle, every launch, and every customer experience. We are committed to being a Customer of Choice by strengthening engagement, listening to feedback, and working together to solve challenges. The path to achieving our objectives is built on trust, accountability, and a shared commitment to execution."

Quality was identified as a core component of the business strategy, with leaders noting that suppliers influence the customer experience from production to long-term reliability.

Stephane Dubs, Senior Vice-President, Purchasing, Enlarged Europe, Stellantis, said, "Quality is a shared commitment across our entire ecosystem; it is not the responsibility of only one team or one organisation. Every decision we make impacts the customer experience. Together with our suppliers, we must continue to raise the bar on cost competitiveness, quality, responsiveness and execution to strengthen customer loyalty and ensure the success of our brands."

The convention offered suppliers direct access to the company’s purchasing teams to align on future priorities.

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